Sky Italia

Sky Italia is a British satellite television platform operating in Italy by Sky, itself owned by Comcast. Sky Italia also broadcasts three national free-to-air television channels: TV8, Cielo and Sky TG24. As of 2018, following an agreement with Mediaset, Sky Italia also operates a series of subscription-based terrestrial channels offering sports, entertainment and movies. Sky Italia is also the major sports broadcaster in Italy.

Sky Italia
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryTelecommunication
Founded31 July 2003 (2003-07-31)
FounderRupert Murdoch
Headquarters
Milan
,
Italy
Area served
Italy
San Marino
Vatican City
Key people
Maximo Ibarra (CEO)
ProductsDirect-broadcast satellite
ParentSky Group
(Comcast)
SubsidiariesNow TV S.r.l.
R2 S.r.l.
Vision Distribution (joint venture with Cattleya, Wildside, Lucisano Media Group, Palomar and Indiana Production[1])
Websitewww.sky.it

Pay TV services on Sky Italia satellite platform are encrypted in NDS VideoGuard.

History

Sky Italia was founded on 31 July 2003 by the merger of TELE+ and Stream TV.[2]

Sky Italia uses the Hot Bird 13B satellite at 13.0°E.

On 28 June 2010, Sky Italia changed its brands and logos, making them identical to the BSkyB ones.

On 1 October 2010, Sky activated its first 3D channel, Sky Sport 3D, available without any extra cost to the Sport pack subscribers. The very first event Sky Sport 3D aired was the 2010 Ryder Cup. On 25 December 2010, Sky launched another 3D channel: Sky Cinema 3D, airing 3D movies, available for free for Cinema pack subscribers. These channels have been replaced by Sky 3D on 6 September 2011, then closed on 16 January 2018.

Tom Mockridge, the then head of Sky Italia replaced Rebekah Brooks as chief executive of News International after she had resigned on 15 July 2011.[3]

Andrea Zappia replaced Tom Mockridge as CEO on 1 August 2011.[4] On 7 October 2011 Sky Italia announced it reached the 5 million subscribers benchmark.

Following News Corporation's split into two on 28 June 2013, to create two separate companies, 21st Century Fox (the re-branded News Corporation), and the spin-off company New News Corp, the 100% stake held by News Corporation in Sky Italia was retained by the re-branded 21st Century Fox.

Following media speculation, on 12 May 2014 Sky Italia's sister company, BSkyB, confirmed that it was in talks with its largest shareholder, 21st Century Fox, about acquiring 21st Century Fox's 57.4% stake in Sky Deutschland and its 100% stake in Sky Italia. The enlarged company would be likely to be called "Sky Europe" and it will consolidate 21st Century Fox's European digital TV assets into one company.[5][6] The sale was announced on 25 July 2014 which was subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.[7] The acquisition was completed on 13 November.[8]

In 2016, Sky Italia created Vision Distribution, a film distribution venture with five Italian production companies: Wildside (owned by Fremantle), Cattleya (backed by ITV Studios), Lucisano Media Group, Palomar and Indiana Production. Since the beginning of August 2019, Universal Pictures, Sky's corporate cousin via NBCUniversal, handles theatrical distribution for Vision's releases in Italy.[9] On 20 January 2020, Vision launched their own international sales arm, Vision Distribution International.[1]

Since October 2018, Sky Italia, as well as Sky UK, Sky Ireland and Sky Deutschland, is controlled by Comcast.

On 1 October 2019, Maximo Ibarra replaces Andrea Zappia as CEO.

On 16 June 2020, Sky Italia launched Sky Wifi, its ultra-broadband service.

Timeline

1998
  • December: Miro Allione, Stream's CEO, stated that News Corp signed a preliminary deal with Telecom Italia to buy 80% of Stream, but the introduction of a bill limiting the acquisition of soccer pay TV rights has made the company reconsider its plans.[10]

1999

2002

2003

2004
  • April: Sky Italia abandons SECA encryption system to switch to the NDS, managed by the News Corporation.
  • 1 August: Sky launches weather news channel, Sky Meteo 24.
  • November: Sky's subscribers reach 3 million.

2005
  • May: Sky Italia are awarded the broadcast rights to the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
  • November: Sky Italia launches the My Sky decoder with PVR functionality.

2006

2007
  • April: Fox airs the first TV drama created by an Italian pay television channel, Boris.
  • May: Sky are awarded the broadcast rights for Formula One for two and a half years.
  • November: A selection of Sky channels become available via IPTV on Telecom Italia, Fastweb and Wind.

2008
  • February: Sky are awarded the broadcast rights for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
  • May: Sky launches My Sky HD.
  • 30 August: Sky launches sport news channel, Sky Sport 24.
  • December: VAT on subscriptions is increased from 10% to 20%.

2009
  • January: Sky are awarded the broadcast rights for the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Six Nations Championship.
  • April: Sky launches Sky Uno and Sky Primafila HD.
  • August: Sky increases its high-definition offering to 12 channels.
  • September: Sky announces the Sky Digital Key, a USB Key with terrestrial decoder functions.
  • December:
    • Sky On Demand service launches.
    • Sky launches free-to-air channel Cielo.

2010
  • January: All Serie A matches begin transmitting in high-definition.
  • April: Sky launches three Sky Movies channels in high-definition, bringing the total number of HD channels to 25 channels.
  • June:
    • Sky changes its brand identity with a new logo, similar to that used by BSkyB.
    • Mondiali 1–4 launch for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
  • August: The number of high-definition channels reaches 36.
  • October: The 2010 Ryder Cup final is the first sport event to be broadcast in 3D.
  • November:
    • Sky's subscribers reach 4.8 million.

2011
  • January: Avatar is the most watched film on Italian pay TV, with an audience of 1.3 million viewers.
  • February: Sky are awarded the broadcast rights for the 2011 Copa América, 2011 and 2012 Copa Sudamericana and 2012 Copa Libertadores.
  • March: Sky Cinema Passion and Sky Cinema Comedy launch.
  • May: Sky are awarded the broadcast rights for X Factor.
  • August: Sky launches Sky Go, an app which allows a number of Sky channels to be viewed on smartphones and tablets.
  • September: Sky launches Sky 3D, the first 3D channel in Italy.
  • October:
    • Sky's subscribers reach 5 million.
    • Sky Uno begins broadcasting in HD for the premiere of X Factor.
  • December:
    • Sky's HD channels reach 40 with the launch of Eurosport 2 HD.

2012

2013
  • February: Sky's subscribers fall to 4.83 million.
  • March: Sky are awarded the broadcast rights for the Bundesliga for two seasons. Sky launches the Sky Sport F1.
  • 3 April: Cielo launches in HD.
  • May: Sky's subscribers fall to 4.78 million.
  • July: Sky are awarded the broadcast rights for 2014 Winter Olympics, but transfers the rights for the 2016 Summer Olympics to RAI.
  • 9 August: Fox Sports launches on Sky and Mediaset Premium, broadcasting the Premier League, the FA Cup, La Liga and Ligue 1.
  • September: Sky TG24 launches in high-definition, bringing the total number of HD channels to 63.
  • October: Classica and MTV launches in high-definition, bringing the total number of HD channels to 65.
  • November: Sky's subscribers fall to 4.76 million.
  • December: Sky Go launches on Windows Phone.

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018
  • April: Mediaset Premium's cinema channels start broadcasting on Sky.
  • June: Mediaset Premium's TV series channels start broadcasting on Sky.
  • July: Channel logos became identical to the Sky UK ones. Sky launches Sky Q Black.
  • December: Sky's subscribers reach to 5,2 million.

2019

2020

Sky HD and 4K HDR
Sky Box HD (Pace)

Sky HD is the brand name of the HDTV service launched by Sky Italia on 20 April 2006 in Italy – during the 2006 FIFA World Cup – to enable high definition channels on Sky Italia to be viewed. The service requires the user to have a Sky Box HD (distributed by Sky Italia), and a HDTV with HDCP enabled.

My Sky HD (Amstrad)

A HD PVR decoder called My Sky HD was launched on 26 May 2008 (on 20 December 2008 was sold a particular edition designed by Fendi in favour of the international organisation Child Priority).

Sky Q Platinum

On 29 November 2017, Sky launched Sky Q Platinum, a set-top box enabled to view programmes in 4K HDR and to use the multiscreen wireless service.

Sky Q Black

On 2 July 2018, Sky launched Sky Q Black, a set-top box identical to the Sky Q Platinum which enables the 4K HDR service but not the multiscreen wireless.

Here the channels available in HD:

TV 29 channels Sky TG24 HD, Rete 4 HD, Canale 5 HD, Italia 1 HD, Sky Uno HD, Sky Uno +1 HD, Sky Atlantic HD, Sky Atlantic +1 HD, Fox HD, Fox Crime HD, Premium Crime HD, Crime+Investigation HD, Sky Arte HD, TV8 HD, Blaze HD, MTV HD, Classica HD, NOVE HD, 20 Mediaset HD, Cielo HD, Paramount Network HD, Real Time HD, Giallo HD, DMAX HD, Eurosport 1 HD, Eurosport 2 HD, Horse TV HD, Gambero Rosso Channel HD, Food Network HD
Famiglia 9 channels Premium Stories HD, Premium Action HD, Discovery Channel HD, National Geographic HD, Discovery Science HD, History HD, National Geographic Wild HD, Motor Trend HD, Cartoon Network HD
Cinema 15 channels Sky Cinema Uno HD, Sky Cinema Due HD, Sky Cinema Collection HD, Sky Cinema Family HD, Sky Cinema Action HD, Sky Cinema Suspense HD, Sky Cinema Romance HD, Sky Cinema Drama HD, Sky Cinema Comedy HD, Sky Cinema Uno +24 HD, Sky Cinema Due +24 HD, Premium Cinema 1 HD, Premium Cinema 1 +24 HD, Premium Cinema 2 HD, Premium Cinema 3 HD
Sport 9 channels Sky Sport 24 HD, Sky Sport Uno HD, Sky Sport Football HD, Sky Sport Arena HD, Sky Sport Collection HD, Sky Sport NBA HD, Sky Sport F1 HD, Sky Sport MotoGP HD, Roma TV
Calcio 12 channels Sky Sport 24 HD, Sky Sport Serie A HD, Sky Sport Football HD, Roma TV, Sky Sport HD (channels from 251 to 258)
Primafila 7 channels Sky Primafila 1 HD, Sky Primafila 2 HD, Sky Primafila 4 HD, Sky Primafila 6 HD, Sky Primafila 8 HD, Sky Primafila 10 HD, Sky Primafila 12 HD
Optional Channels 4 channels DAZN 1, DAZN 1+, Milan TV, Inter TV

Logos
31 July 2003 – 3 September 2006 4 September 2006 – 27 June 2010 28 June 2010 – 25 September 2013 26 September 2013 – 1 July 2018 2 July 2018 – 13 September 2020 in use from 14 September 2020

Channel Packs

Sky Italia offers a range of channels that are grouped into:

  • Sky TV – Entertainment, TV series, music, Eurosport's sport and news;
  • Sky Famiglia (Family) – TV series, documentaries and cartoons;
  • Sky Sport and Sky Calcio (Football) – Sports and football
  • Sky Cinema – Movies

Sky TV

Sky Famiglia

Sky Sport and Sky Calcio
  • Sky Sport 24 (Sky Sports News)
  • Sky Sport Uno
  • Sky Sport Serie A
  • Sky Sport Football
  • Sky Sport Arena
  • Sky Sport Collection
  • Sky Sport NBA
  • Sky Sport F1
  • Sky Sport MotoGP
  • Roma TV
  • Sky Sport (channels from 251 to 263)

Sky Cinema
  • Sky Cinema Uno (+24 available)
  • Sky Cinema Due (+24 available)
  • Sky Cinema Collection
  • Sky Cinema Family
  • Sky Cinema Action
  • Sky Cinema Suspense
  • Sky Cinema Romance
  • Sky Cinema Drama
  • Sky Cinema Comedy
  • Premium Cinema 1 (+24 available)
  • Premium Cinema 2
  • Premium Cinema 3
  • Iris
  • Cine34

Optional Channels

References
  1. Nick Vivarelli (20 January 2020). "Sky Italia's Vision Distribution to Launch Film Sales Company at Berlin's EFM". Variety. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  2. "Communicating Europe: Italy Manual" (PDF). European Stability Initiative. 19 May 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  3. Samira Shackle (15 July 2011). "Ed Miliband calls for the break-up of the Murdoch Empire". New Statesman. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  4. "Sky: Andrea Zappia nuovo ad Sky Italia". ANSA (in Italian). 8 January 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  5. Statement on potential acquisition, BSkyB 12 May 2014. Retrieved: 19 June 2014.
  6. "'Sky Europe': what is behind BSkyB's effort to buy Murdoch's European pay-TV businesses?". The Daily Telegraph. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  7. "BSkyB to pay $9 billion to create Sky Europe". Reuters. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  8. "Sky creates Europe's leading entertainment company". Sky. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  9. https://www.visiondistribution.it/magazine/una-nuova-fase-per-vision-distribution/
  10. "Italy's Stream lost more steam in '98". Variety. 11 February 1999. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  11. "Murdoch's Italian foothold". The Independent. 28 April 1999. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  12. "Murdoch si rafforza in Italia concluso l'acquisto di Tele+". La Repubblica (in Italian). 8 June 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
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